(Girl to Ferret)

Heather smiled as she looked at the small glowing orb between her hands. It was her latest work, a testament to her progress with her new master. She was a witch, and this was a magical lodestone she’d created for today’s practice.

The textbook her mentor had given her was quite explicit that she needed this. It was supposed to be an anchor of sorts, allowing her to return to her original form at any time. It was good advice, but that’s what she had come to expect from the textbooks on transformation.

Today, she was finally going to put this knowledge to use; going to change herself for the first time. With her lodestone prepared, there was almost nothing that could keep her from perfectly changing her form.

“Hey, Heather! Heather! Are you ready yet?”

Heather winced, turning her head to look at the familiar brown-furred ferret bouncing into her room. She still wasn’t quite used to have a companion yet, but the bonding process had ensured they’d be together for life. Agena was just as much a part of Heather as she was a part of the ferret.

“Yes, Agena.” Heather sighed, poking the little crescent moon necklace she’d given to the small creature. Even now, she found it hard to believe that the little ferret was twice as old as she was. Magical things aged differently, apparently.

“So, what are you going to change into?” Agena asked, bouncing up and down with excitement. “Is it a ferret? It had better be a ferret!”

“Why are you so excited for this?” Heather laughed, poking her familiar’s tummy. “You’re not the one who’s gonna be transforming for the first time, you know.”

“I know.” Agena sulked, a pout clear on the ferret’s face. “But I want to point out exactly where the right part to scratch me is, and it’s easier if you’re changed.”

“Of course.” Heather laughed, picking up a paper bag and plopping the ferret in it.

“H-hey!” Agena squeaked loudly, scampering about until the bag fell on its side. The little ferret poked her head out a moment later, glaring daggers at the young witch. “I’ll have you know that I’m an esteemed elder in the magical familiar community.”

“No you’re not.” Heather smiled, poking the ferret’s nose.

Agena pawed at her nose irritably. “W-well, I could be!”

Heather chuckled. “Bad ferret!” She picked up the bag by its handles, letting it rest on her doorknob. Agena squeaked louder, scrabbling at the bag but unable to get out. “H-hey! I need to watch you change so you don’t mess up.”

“Coach me by ear!” Heather called happily, cracking her fingers as she looked at the textbook before her. She took a deep breath, concentrating on her changes. Then the girl let it out, focusing the eddies of the aether around her.

Magic was like an ocean that everyone lived in, whether they knew it or not. While most people waded in it, witches like Heather could swim; even build structures in it to change the flow. That was what she was working on now, focusing he magic to build a dam around her body.

Form wasn’t as constant as people liked to let it believe. All you really had to do was change how the unseen world perceived you, and the seen world would follow suit.

The girl gently laid the outline of a ferret around her form, concentrating on the way the magical aura swept across her body. Once she was sure she had it right, she released the pulse, cementing the magical dam around her body, restricting her form to another.

The change began immediately, and Heather smiled as fur began to sweep its way along her body, growing out from all of her pores at once. It was like her body was growing a hairy coat, her whole form itching as she started to get hotter and hotter.

Then her bones started to pop, and Heather squeaked as she was thrown onto all fours. Her body stretched and lengthened, leaving her with an almost cylindrical appearance as her hands reformed to paws and her feet began to stretch out.

The changing girl looked on in surprise at her hands as her fingernails grew over her shrinking digits, leaving her with claws. She hurriedly rolled onto her back to kick off her shoes, looking at her feet to see a similar thing happening to her toes.

Then she realized how easy it had been to kick off her shoes, and with a small squeak Heather realized she was shrinking.

“What’s going on? Did you start already?” The paper bag shifted from side to side as Agena fidgeted awkwardly.

Determined to prove she was a competent mage on her own, Heather called back to the bag confidently. “No, just shrinking—I mean stretching!”

The bag rustled a little more, then Agena piped up again. “Good, because you should probably know that you need me around for your first change if you want to keep your mind.”

Heather blinked in surprise. Her mind? She thought she’d just keep that normally! The book didn’t mention anything about losing her mind!

Thinking quickly, the girl closed the window to her room, then scampered on all fours to close her door. As she did, her body shrank down more and more, until she was running from her clothes to secure the only other exit to her room.

Of course it didn’t budge when she pressed against it with her snout. Panicked, the girl threw her dwindling weight against the door, knocking it more and more closed until it finally clicked shut.

“Why did you slam your window, then close your door?” Agena asked.

Right, stupid ferret ears. “Um… I might maybee-ee-ee!” Heather’s voice degenerated into small squeaks, and she covered her face with embarrassment. As she did, she marveled at how plush her paws felt against her cheeks, and the girl happily rubbed at them for a few moments.

The moments were long enough for her cheeks to sprout whiskers and her nose and mouth to press out into a muzzle. She could feel her teeth sharpening within her mouth; her tongue changing its palate. The girl squeaked again as she realized what the delay had cost her—it wouldn’t be long before she lost her mind at this rate!

Okay, no problem. Heatherret just needed to focus on keeping her mind and not losing it entirely and why did she call herself Herret? Her name was Ferret! She squeaked, pawing at her head and feeling the new personality try and settle in. Her eyes began to cloud over as she did, darkening and becoming a pair of ebony orbs.

It was tough; her new instincts were very persuasive. They kept insisting she could walk on two legs, or speak like a human, or even change her form at will! That was crazy! She was Ferret! Her ears twitched with pride as she established dominance over the fake her that tried to take control.

Then her nose twitched, too. There was another ferret in the room! Ferret wanted to play; she had to find out what this new friend was like! The ferret quickly darted over to the paper bag hung on the door, munching on its corner and making a hole for the trapped mustelid to escape from.

The ferret popped out a moment later, and she groaned in a surprisingly human manner. “Way to go, Heather…” She said, her whiskers twitching as it frowned.

Ferret tilted her head curiously. How was new-ferret making person-sounds? And why did she sound mad?

“First lesson! Don’t think about losing your mind when changing; otherwise you actually will! That’s the whole point behind having a familiar!”

Ferret blushed, lowering her head and whimpering. She had no idea why new-ferret was mad; she only wanted to have play time…

New-ferret sighed and placed a paw on Ferret’s head. Almost immediately, a surge of knowledge flooded Ferret’s brain, and she started to remember. She was Heather! A ferret… person… A both! Yes, she was a witch who’d changed herself into a ferret, and she’d almost lost her mind because… Because her familiar had convinced her to?

Heather opened her muzzle, intending to scold Agena. Instead of words, a tirade of chitters and squeaks poured from her throat, and the girl blushed more as she laid her head low, sulking.

“Yeah, yeah. You know, speech isn’t for most animals—only familiars can speak like humans when they’re in an animal body. Sorry, but you have to learn at some point.” Agena tutted. “Honestly, you’re lucky I’m smart enough to have taught you. Plenty of witches find themselves stuck as an animal when they decide to change without their familiar on hand…”

Heather’s ears lowered and she chittered an apology. To her surprise, Agena chuckled, petting the witch’s head.

“There there, it’s okay. On the bright side, you did a fantastic job transforming yourself; this is a perfect change! Which means…” Agena scampered behind Heather, and before Heather fully understood what the familiar was doing, she had started to scratch a special spot in the small of Heather’s back.

It was good; beyond good! Pleasure bloomed through the small ferret’s body, and she fell limp, practically melting into a puddle of furry happiness. God, was this what Agena had been talking about? It was fantastic!

Heather cooed contentedly, her legs kicking a she rolled onto her side, eyes closed with bliss.

“Good, so now that you know that…” Agena moved her rubbing to Heather’s tummy, and the newly made ferret wriggled onto her back, feeling almost as good from this. “Spot number two!” Agena squeaked triumphantly.

Heather cooed happily back, wriggling about in pleasure. When Agena stopped she actually whined in distress, giving her familiar sad eyes in an attempt to get her to pet her more.

Agena chuckled, then tutted. “Not yet, dear. First up, I need you to explore your new body a bit. Try running around the room, then come back to me when you’re ready. Learning how a new size feels is really important to the art of change.”

Heather nodded, rolling to her paws and scooting around the room on all fours. The ground whizzed by under her, and she widened her eyes in shock. Of course, she should have expected this: Agena was able to keep pace with her as a human, so it was natural she’d be able to move at least as quickly as a human. But Heather hadn’t accounted for how fast it would seem!

Heather ran around the room a few more times, her nose twitching as she got used to moving at a relative sprint. Then she tried climbing up her bed, which was as big as a small hill to her now. To her surprise, the vertical stretch was easy!

Heather beamed with pride as she got to the top of her bed, promptly skittering under the covers and making herself a nest. It was so warm and fluffy; she could just drift off…

“Hey! No sleeping!”

Heather’s eyes snapped open as Agena batted her in the nose. The new ferret squeaked loudly in outrage, looking at Agena accusingly as she rubbed her sensitive snout. Then Heather’s eyes widened as she poked her head out, looking at a clock then back to Agena.

“What?” Agena blinked. “Worried about how long you’ll stay changed? Don’t worry, no matter how long you spend in a form, you’ll always be able to change back with me and your lodestone. But that’s no excuse to just sleep!”

Heather rolled her eyes, then scuffled about under her covers, scooting back to give her familiar a little room. She squeaked again, patting the open spot she’d just made.

Agena’s ears twitched; then she scooted into the sheets as well. “Fine. But only if you scratch that spot on my back—”

Heather cut her off by running her hands up and down the small of Agena’s back, in the same spot that Agena had scratched her earlier. Her familiar’s reaction was just like her own, too. Agena groaned aloud, all of her legs kicking faintly as she nuzzled into Heather’s embrace. “Mnn… Okay, fair enough… You know, I think this transformation training is going to be good…”

Heather’s response was a contented cuddle and more happy scratching. She liked this form, and her blankets really were… heavy… warm… sleepsinessful…

The pair of ferrets drifted off, not knowing of where their transformative trials would take them.